Johnny Cash
The Original: Best of

Over the course of his 48-year career, countless compilations of Johnny
Cash’s music have been issued. The onslaught began back in 1963 with the release
of Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash, only to be followed every few
years with an updated and expanded set. In fact, there have been so many of
these collections that the whole notion of a Johnny Cash "best of" has become
ridiculously redundant and just plain silly, especially given that the
"Man in Black" charted over 130 country hits and 48 pop singles.

Still, a majority of these compilations, such as the most recent addition The Original: Best of, are sufficiently good at providing an overview of an
American legend, although none have been nearly as comprehensive as The Essential Johnny Cash, which includes everything from his first single for
Sun Records (Cry Cry Cry) through his collaboration with U2 (The
Wanderer). For what it’s worth, The Original: Best of entirely avoids
Cash’s newer material and focuses instead upon his output from the ’50s, ’60s,
and ’70s, specifically some of his more humorous cover tunes, such as The
Chicken in Black, Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart, Boa
Constrictor, and The One on the Right Is on the Left. Consequently,
it’s a rather unique assortment of songs, though the inexplicable exclusion of
nuggets like Folsom Prison Blues and Get Rhythm also leaves it
lacking.

The Original: Best of is available
from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!

The Essential Johnny Cash is available
from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!